Harbor Lights by Sherryl Woods Page B

he demanded. “What did it say?” He honestly wanted to know, because for the life of him he couldn’t figure out all of the conflicting emotions rampaging through him on a daily basis.
    “Think about it,” she said. “When you’ve figured out the answer, I think you’ll finally be ready to move on with your life.”
    “If you know so much, you tell me,” he said. He barely kept himself from begging. He had a feeling she was right, that if he knew the answer, he could get beyond these endless days of living in a fog.
    “It’s not up to me to put words in your mouth,” she said, then shrugged. “Could be I’ve got it wrong, anyway. But if you ever want to talk it through, I’m here to listen.”
    Impatient, he snapped, “No, you’ll be back in New York. As usual.”
    This time when he strode away, she didn’t even try to keep up with him. She let him go. Astonishingly, that hurt almost as badly as when she’d walked out on them.
     
    Laurie arrived in town on Thursday to see Shanna’s shop and pronounced it amazing.
    “I love the pale green color of the walls and all the white trim,” she said, as she stood in the doorway. “And the bright seaside pattern in the upholstery on the chairs looks fabulous. The whole store is warm and cozy and inviting. Not only is the mix of books and games perfect, but it smells like coffee and the tables and chairs in that area are charming. Who could resist coming here for a chat with a friend or a book club meeting? You are planning to start a book club, aren’t you?”
    “Absolutely,” Shanna said. “I’m going to have a sign-up sheet at the opening. I love the idea of women getting together right here to talk about books.”
    Laurie continued to walk slowly around the shop, surveying the room more closely. “There’s not another single thing you could do to make it better,” she said, then added with a grin, “So, let’s go book the inn for my wedding.”
    Shanna regarded her friend with amusement. “What happened to coming to town to help me get ready for my grand opening?”
    “You don’t need my help,” Laurie said blithely. “Frankly, I’m a little miffed about that, but since you don’t, we can focus on me. That’s always my favorite thing.”
    “If I didn’t know you so well, I’d think you were a totally self-absorbed human being,” Shanna told her, even as she grabbed her purse and prepared to take Laurie to the inn for an inspection to see if it would meet her needs.
    Fortunately, she’d anticipated exactly this scenario and had worked doubly hard to get ahead for the opening, so she could spend a few hours focused on the wedding.
    “I’ve made an appointment with the owner,” Shanna told her. “We’ll walk around, look things over and have lunch, then meet with Jess.”
    “You’re an angel,” Laurie said, giving her a hug. “I knew I could count on you. And once we’ve done this, you can count on me a hundred percent to do whatever you need me to do. I’ll even bake cookies, if that’s what you want.”
    “Given your cooking skills, I think it’s probably a good thing that I’m having the food for the opening catered, by the inn, as a matter of fact. I’ll go over those details while we’re with Jess, too.”
    “Then it won’t be all about me,” Laurie said with an exaggerated pout.
    Shanna laughed. “Sorry, sweetie, you are not the center of the universe, at least not this week. When the time comes for your wedding, I promise you’ll get all of my attention.”
    Laurie put on her seat belt, then managed to turn sideways and tuck a leg under her. “So, tell me about the men in this town.”
    “Haven’t we had this conversation? Besides, you’re engaged. Other men should be the last thing on your mind.”
    “Not for me. For you. And we haven’t discussed this since you’ve met someone,” Laurie said confidently.
    Shanna regarded her with shock. “What makes you say that?”
    “There’s a glow in your